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Official Eskimos and CFL 2013 season thread: Eskies 1-3

Sometimes I just have to respond to revisionist view. There was no optimism by the end of 2011.

11-7 team yeah, one that was going absolutely nowhere and nobody expected it to. People at the time, and anybody could bring up the thread, were surprised to even win a playoff game against Calgary.

Lets look at that year. WE were 6th in offense with the vaunted RR at QB. Only two clubs in the league had WORSE offence. Curiously we played the Argos at home that year(a horrible club) and barely beat them by 1pt. For anybody in attendance it was a hopeless day. A 4-0 team had just jumped the shark and showed the first sign of futility that would rear its head that year.
On cue, that horrible performance against the Argos sets the tone for a collapse. A 5-0 club proceeds to lose the next 3 games. Get annihilated by Winnipeg, Montreal (27-4) and BC(36-1) the latter being the single worst QB performance(by RR) that I had ever witnessed from the Eskimos in my life. In two games the Esks offense had scored 5 pts. Afairc the one FG was setup by a D turnover. ANYBODY at the time considered this team absolutely pathetic and were going off the rails here how lousy the club was. There were comments the team might not win another game. It seemed like a complete collapse.

The Eskimos lurched along to where they were 7-6 at the start of October(remember this was a club that somehow opened 5-0 with those days long past) The Esks then fashioned some semblence of prosperity by beating the Roughriders twice (an awful club) barely beating the Argos, and getting by Winnipeg. They also lost their 3rd game in a row against the Lions setting a pretty clear tone in 3 games in which they were waxed by the Leos every time.

Lets be clear here, the Esks that year were 3-0 against a hopeless Riders club, barely edged the Argos twice, and were not exactly world beaters.

WE won the season series against the Stamps but had lost the last home game against them. We tied them in standings but got the home playoff start. Lets remember the Esks had started the season 5-0, and the Stamps had started the season 0-5. Stamps had recovered their season while the Esks were dog paddling. Eskimos somehow managed to get by the Stamps that day on a solid D performance that stifled the Stamps and gave the Esks offense endless opportunities. RR has a very ordinary day. Really an awful second half. Stamps were actually in control of the game in the first half, had scored the only TD, and were threatening another when Tate dropped back to pass, inexplicably fumbled the ball, and Munoz rumbled 77yds for the TD. It was the first sign of life the Esks showed that day. Bowman then made a great play on a routine swing pass to go run 56yds for a TD and the game was ours. RR passed for 200 yds that day. A hundred of it were YAC yds.

Esks trot into BC, to whom they've been trounced 3 times in a row, and they don't have a chance. Lulay quickly shows what a QB on top of his game looks like and its 26-3 by the half, the game is over. The Eskimos offense is pathetic in the game and can't do anything. The D stops the game from being a complete legendary drubbing. The esks score a couple meaningless TD's after the game is long over and make the final score line a more respectable 40-23. The Esks had been out of this game for a longtime. RR had just completed his time here having played 2 very ordinary playoff games. He was awful in the Leos game and completely outmatched in every way by the upstart Lulay.

That was that season folks and it certainly wasn't optimism in these parts. Although people will tell you that now.

The league, and the West, was not all that strong that year. Calgary had not much of a club, only Leos and Als really offered up all that much opposition that year. One of those bad years in the CFL where its hard not to have a winning record. This didn't separate that we were a world apart from the only two good clubs in the league that year. To wit we lost 6 games in a row to those two good clubs that year.

I said when RR was traded, that I felt he would never win another cup if he had stayed with the Eskimos, and I still believe that. Guess we'll never know. Maybe it's that he finally gave in to the pathetic mediocrity of this organization and lost his will to complete and win. Who knows. But years of being beat down by ridiculous management and incompetent coaching can wear on even the best soldiers. Just look at the Oilers for examples.

I think it's pretty obvious at this point that Ray was one of the few pieces keeping the Eskies even moderately respectable. Trading a future HoF QB for the return we got set this team back a long time. A top QB is the most important part of a good football team. I'd say it's actually near impossible to have a good team without one. Now we're in the search for another one. And those searches can take years.

Obviously the management of the team sucks horribly. From the president on down. But dismissing the Ray deal as inconsequential is a bit of a reach, imo.

I'm not sure why, but I have this gut feeling that we may have something in Crompton. Not saying Reilly will not turn out well after getting experience, but this other kid seems to have something I can't put the finger on. And it's not based on his little drive in the last minute of the last game. I see some Danny McMannus in him, only with a lot better mobility. I think he can turn out to be the best of the bunch. I just hope our offensive line and play calling allow him and anyone else they put in, the chance to survive to fulfill some of that potential.

I'm not sure why, but I have this gut feeling that we may have something in Crompton. Not saying Reilly will not turn out well after getting experience, but this other kid seems to have something I can't put the finger on. And it's not based on his little drive in the last minute of the last game. I see some Danny McMannus in him, only with a lot better mobility. I think he can turn out to be the best of the bunch.

Maybe, but when he came in relief at the end of the Riders game he looked brutal. Seemed indecisive and unable to pitch the ball 10 yards. He definitely showed better this week against the Lions but I'm not going to annoint him the savior and suggest we ditch Reilly in favor of Crompton because of a couple nice series in a game that was over.

This team has been bad since they hired Macioccia and that includes the last Grey Cup win. We've had some very good defensive teams at times, and Ricky Rays incredible accuracy on the short passes, but all around we've been getting worse not better. Our O-line has sucked for almost a decade, our special teams have been poor and getting worse and it's not just the returner. They need somebody with a long term plan,not sure Hervey is that guy. As much as we want immediate results I'd be more impressed by seeing signs of an organization capable of finding talent in every position on a regular basis.

I think we're good enough to beat anybody in the East. They'll be competitive but we can win them. Cant imagine beating anybody in the West unless it's late season after those teams have clinched their playoff spots. So anywhere from 6 - 8 wins looks likely. Can we get a crossover spot with an 8 - 10 record?

You're welcome. I mean I was here on this board hearing the comments at the time. There were concerns expressed with the football club. It was whine and roses.

The 36-1 drubbing at home was the Patrick Roy in the Montreal forum moment. The infamous 9-1 loss where the home crowd boos their vanquished hero.

It happens. A disconnect occurs between fanbase and player, between team and org and player.

A good player RR, didn't care anymore if he was here or gone and everybody at the game noted that. RR got boo'ed off the field easily 10 times in the game. Again this not being some pundits online, this being actual people paying to be at the actual games.

I was there, I was completely disgusted.

You seem to really be hung up on the 36-1 game, yet you fail to memtion that every esks receiver was injured that game. They had to bring guys in days before the game just to field a lineup. That would be like judging an oilers season based on a game where the entire top 6 is injured.

You seem to really be hung up on the 36-1 game, yet you fail to memtion that every esks receiver was injured that game. They had to bring guys in days before the game just to field a lineup. That would be like judging an oilers season based on a game where the entire top 6 is injured.

This was the third game in a row the club had been drubbed. To be clear a 5-0 club went under .500 the rest of the way in a year in which opposition was extremely weak and much weaker than it is now. Riders were in complete disarray, everybody sucked in the east except Montreal and for a brief time Winnipeg. Calgary was rebuilding. We were playing bad and winning some games. Some barely. Even though we were facing patsies any time the opposition wasn't BC or Montreal. Neither of which we could beat. We were the third best club in a year in which only 4-5 credible lineups existed.

As far as the game in question Ray flat out gave up in that game. Laid down, couldn't be bothered. Played about 1, 2 series with any interest in executing at all and played the rest of the game content to get off field as quickly as he could which he did with aplomb. Its why he was being so passionately booed. He committed the cardinal sin in pro sports. The leader of the club flat out gave up. Lost interest, just wanted the game to end.

Contrast this with Lulay a week ago in Edmonton having a dismal first half, with the Leos not well engaged, nothing clicking, team not playing well, and Lulay takes it upon himself to get the result. A heroic result when nobody else was going and without his star receiver in the lineup this year. Lulay did this during a game when the awful weather could've been used as an enough of an excuse by anybody on the field.

Leaders lead. Ray stopped doing this here a longtime ago.

This is a city that doesn't forgive lack of effort. Lack of results yes, lack of try unforgivable.

You seem to really be hung up on the 36-1 game, yet you fail to memtion that every esks receiver was injured that game. They had to bring guys in days before the game just to field a lineup. That would be like judging an oilers season based on a game where the entire top 6 is injured.

The 36-1 game was the "Jump the Shark" moment for Ray as an Eskimo. I was also there, and Replacement is right, that is the moment where Ray flat out gave up on the franchise. Their was a home game against Montreal a few weeks later that was quite similar, just to confirm things.

To clarify one point in Replacement's post, it was BC that started the season 0-5. It's two years later and I'm still absolutely livid that they finished first and won the Grey Cup after starting 0-5 when we started 5-0. It might be the only season where one team singlehandedly gave another the Grey Cup. The 36-1 game, two more late season games in BC where we bent over and grabbed our ankles, and then of course the West Final embarrassment. Four games. If we win a single one of them, we win the Grey Cup, of that I am sure. I still haven't fixed the hole I punched in my living room wall, so every day when I see it, it's another painful reminder of Eskimo incompetence.

I think we're good enough to beat anybody in the East. They'll be competitive but we can win them. Cant imagine beating anybody in the West unless it's late season after those teams have clinched their playoff spots. So anywhere from 6 - 8 wins looks likely. Can we get a crossover spot with an 8 - 10 record?

8-10 will probably win the East. 6-12 might be good enough for a crossover.

The 36-1 game was the "Jump the Shark" moment for Ray as an Eskimo. I was also there, and Replacement is right, that is the moment where Ray flat out gave up on the franchise. Their was a home game against Montreal a few weeks later that was quite similar, just to confirm things.

To clarify one point in Replacement's post, it was BC that started the season 0-5. It's two years later and I'm still absolutely livid that they finished first and won the Grey Cup after starting 0-5 when we started 5-0. It might be the only season where one team singlehandedly gave another the Grey Cup. The 36-1 game, two more late season games in BC where we bent over and grabbed our ankles, and then of course the West Final embarrassment. Four games. If we win a single one of them, we win the Grey Cup, of that I am sure. I still haven't fixed the hole I punched in my living room wall, so every day when I see it, it's another painful reminder of Eskimo incompetence.

There was no later home blowout game, it was in Montreal and BC back to back. The Montreal one, a game where Ray had ok numbers and the team flat out stunk They had -1 yards rushing for THE WHOLE GAME. We had open catches for big gains and touchdowns that the receivers flat out dropped. Clearly this is Ray's fault for quitting on the team. Unbelievable. You don't even remember what actually happened because it doesn't fit your narrative of blaming Ray.

Before losing the western finals, the Esks won 5 of their last 6. Ray quit on the team?

Call me a weirdo, but I think I'll focus on the 2013 season. This week's Eskimo game features a strange therefore interesting match-up. The Als with their oddball square-peg-in-a-round-hole new HC, porous o-line, Hall of Fame QB looking ready to say, "Screw it!' and a shaky defence coming off a brutal loss which featured a blown 24-0 lead. They look ripe for the picking. Luckily for them they are at home facing a team with a myriad of their own problems going into a place where they generally play like crap. I'm predicting a tie (if they can still happen) because current circumstances make it really tough to pick either the Esks or Als to win.

Call me a weirdo, but I think I'll focus on the 2013 season. This week's Eskimo game features a strange therefore interesting match-up. The Als with their oddball square-peg-in-a-round-hole new HC, porous o-line, Hall of Fame QB looking ready to say, "Screw it!' and a shaky defence coming off a brutal loss which featured a blown 24-0 lead. They look ripe for the picking. Luckily for them they are at home facing a team with a myriad of their own problems going into a place where they generally play like crap. I'm predicting a tie (if they can still happen) because current circumstances make it really tough to pick either the Esks or Als to win.

I'm not sure AC is ready to say "screw it", but he is clearly frustrated. I think he and their offence will continue to get points. It's their defence that we need to take advantage of. I think it's a high scoring affair.

It constantly amazes me how far some people will go to not admit they were wrong. I wonder if those Habs fans that boo'd Roy out of town and cheered when he left made similar arguments about him not being the right player for their team while he was winning in Colorado?

This was the third game in a row the club had been drubbed. To be clear a 5-0 club went under .500 the rest of the way in a year in which opposition was extremely weak and much weaker than it is now. Riders were in complete disarray, everybody sucked in the east except Montreal and for a brief time Winnipeg. Calgary was rebuilding. We were playing bad and winning some games. Some barely. Even though we were facing patsies any time the opposition wasn't BC or Montreal. Neither of which we could beat. We were the third best club in a year in which only 4-5 credible lineups existed.

As far as the game in question Ray flat out gave up in that game. Laid down, couldn't be bothered. Played about 1, 2 series with any interest in executing at all and played the rest of the game content to get off field as quickly as he could which he did with aplomb. Its why he was being so passionately booed. He committed the cardinal sin in pro sports. The leader of the club flat out gave up. Lost interest, just wanted the game to end.

Contrast this with Lulay a week ago in Edmonton having a dismal first half, with the Leos not well engaged, nothing clicking, team not playing well, and Lulay takes it upon himself to get the result. A heroic result when nobody else was going and without his star receiver in the lineup this year. Lulay did this during a game when the awful weather could've been used as an enough of an excuse by anybody on the field.

Leaders lead. Ray stopped doing this here a longtime ago.

This is a city that doesn't forgive lack of effort. Lack of results yes, lack of try unforgivable.

He was arguably the 2nd best QB in the league statistics wise in 2011 and certainly no worse than the 3rd best. In a year where he had games like the BC one where he was throwing to street agents (...and we are talking CFL signable street agents).

This was the third game in a row the club had been drubbed. To be clear a 5-0 club went under .500 the rest of the way in a year in which opposition was extremely weak and much weaker than it is now. Riders were in complete disarray, everybody sucked in the east except Montreal and for a brief time Winnipeg. Calgary was rebuilding. We were playing bad and winning some games. Some barely. Even though we were facing patsies any time the opposition wasn't BC or Montreal. Neither of which we could beat. We were the third best club in a year in which only 4-5 credible lineups existed.

As far as the game in question Ray flat out gave up in that game. Laid down, couldn't be bothered. Played about 1, 2 series with any interest in executing at all and played the rest of the game content to get off field as quickly as he could which he did with aplomb. Its why he was being so passionately booed. He committed the cardinal sin in pro sports. The leader of the club flat out gave up. Lost interest, just wanted the game to end.

Contrast this with Lulay a week ago in Edmonton having a dismal first half, with the Leos not well engaged, nothing clicking, team not playing well, and Lulay takes it upon himself to get the result. A heroic result when nobody else was going and without his star receiver in the lineup this year. Lulay did this during a game when the awful weather could've been used as an enough of an excuse by anybody on the field.

Leaders lead. Ray stopped doing this here a longtime ago.

This is a city that doesn't forgive lack of effort. Lack of results yes, lack of try unforgivable.

So Ray is a quitter now....honestly what are you going to try and peddle next?
I suggest you take your own advice and move on because you are embarrassing yourself at this point.